Always remember to smile when you see your favorite peeps!
Yes, he was fresh home from church with a palm in his hand. I like to keep the palm until next year. After Easter, I'll dry it out and shape it into a cross, if I can keep the cat from eating it. Fioré just seems to love it.
Several times, we have found the palm frond in the sink after hearing a mysterious thud. Do you know what your cat gets up to when you're not looking? I just hope that the palm isn't poisonous.
Fioré enjoys watching tv. This is a photo from last Saturday evening when my daughter came for a visit bringing supper and a gift...more on that in just a bit. After supper, while Laurel and I were Pinterest Visiting side by side on the sofa, she stopped to take this photo of Fioré
seated in the cat bird seat! LOL!
Moving right along, I know your time is valuable. This is the wee gift I received...
this cute little blue bunny. She wouldn't tell me where she got him, but relented when I said that you might like to know — Wal*Mart. ☺ The daffodil drawing is a gift, too, from Lorrie last year. I don't know if we'll see daffodils this year. Mine are still buried in snow. I don't think we had any last year either as this
winter-hanging-on thing has been going on for several years now.
Last up, trying to get a table large enough to seat 7. Our table seats 6. The grands had put us on notice that they did not appreciate being seated at the little table. This is what John and I came up with yesterday: a slab of plywood on the table with protection placed between and a card table at one end with cookie tins to keep the floppy end of plywood stable. Hopefully, with enough padding, I can disguise this mess and make it look like something. I am paying careful attention to tablescapes this year.
Well that's it for today... I must move on to cleaning and shopping and preparing. Such a fun time when it's my turn to host Easter dinner. Do you have enough room for your guests? Do you have to pull MacGyver maneuvers? Is your menu planned? Feel free to tell me all about it!
This is such a sweet post, capturing the love and adoration you have for your family! Your table will look just great. My sister-in-law hosts our Easter dinner and she always makes a wonderful "bone-in" ham and scalloped potatoes. The rest of us bring salads, sides, and many desserts. I'm taking a MGCC Scalloped Carrot casserole, my usual Crunchy Broccoli Salad, and a fresh fruit plate for dessert??? I might change my mind by the weekend but that's the plan for now.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I see yellow, it brings a smile to my face. As to Easter dinner (what others call luncheon), I'm on my own and simply enjoying the day, including church. I've often wondered how to make those palm crosses.
ReplyDeleteBelieve it or not, these are my favorite types of posts. A little bit of this and that all coming together to give us a behind the scenes peek at every day life. Side by side Pinterest visiting while Fiore is busy watching TV sounds like fun to me. I am sorry to hear that the snow is still hanging on, but you have created a lovely Spring vignette inside. The bunny is so sweet and Lorrie's daffodil is lovely. I think you and John have come up with a great solution to the table extension. I am sure you will have it looking so festive that nobody will ever guess what's hiding under there.
ReplyDeleteNormally I am hosting Easter. This year we will be driving a rental truck across several states on Easter day.
When I leave the house I always leave the radio or television on ... just for the kitties. They like sport events. :) Love your blue bunny, the daffodil (watercolor??) and the vase with the chicks -- all saying "Spring"!!! Fun post. Enjoy your family and the memories you'll be making on Easter.
ReplyDeleteGood morning! Very creative on your table! It will look wonderful! No, not hosting this year and don't know how many more I will ever have to do! My kids are taking over! lol. IF we were doing it here, it requires setting up at least 3 different tables to get us all in. WAY too many of us, lol. LOVE your daffodil vase!
ReplyDeleteWe've been having Easter lunch at my place for the last 50 years. One table that seats10/12, the black and white tile table, seats 4 and a card table , 4....
ReplyDeleteAs the kids grow, marry and start their own families, sometimes we have them all and some Easters, we share with the "other" families that live out of town.
Ham (always) with different sides....and desserts, of course. Haven't got it totally planned due to the "nearly to death's door" illness I am just today getting over enuf to THINK.
Oh, I love the little blue bunny and the daffodil drawing. Lorrie sure is talented, and your daughter is quite thoughtful. Marty approves! The vase goes perfectly with the other two items. Throw a big tablecloth on the table and nobody will no the difference. Besides, it's all about the fellowship, not the furniture. No Easter plans here. Dinner invitations are not forthcoming, and I am certainly not in a position to entertain these days. Not even sure what I will eat that day. I'll watch church services on tv.
ReplyDeleteVee, I love the bunny your daughter bought you. It looks so charming next to your pitcher and lovely daffodil painting.
ReplyDeleteI like your creative solution to get the kids at the table. We've been known to do similar things when there is a crowd at our place. At Christmas we had to rent a table to put up in the living room to accomodate everyone. What matters is that we're all together. I'm looking forward to seeing your table set. ♥
We've used the plywood sheet method before. Once it is covered with a tablecloth and dishes no one will know. What a sweet bunny!
ReplyDeleteI love this sweet bunny...what a pretty color. And how nice to have family close to enjoy.....and cook for. Enjoy your week! Hugs, Diane
ReplyDeleteWonderful post, Vee! I like the shots of your hubby and the kitty! The daffodil picture and bunny look cute together. Have a great week and a happy Easter!
ReplyDeleteLove the palm holding smile photo of John! We've done the plywood trick over the years at different family events. This Easter there will only be a total of 8 of us. The table we bought 40 years ago extends long enough to seat 12 although our space here at this old house is best suited for 8 max. When we have twelve we have to shimmy and squeeze it in to get around the ends. I'm still giving myself a pep talk about baking kulich/Paska this year... Cute little blue bunny.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about the lingering winter. I'm sure we're not done here either. Love the bunny, but even more that darling vase with the chicks!! We have 8 and 2 babies to put around our Easter table which seats 6 comfortably. One year we spread out tables end to end (when we had about 20), in the library. This time we'll probably just squeeze a bit and eat in the kitchen. We're eating baked chicken, green salad, and homemade lemon meringue pie... and olives. :-) Hope you have a wonderful week, Vee.
ReplyDeleteSome of my favorite memories are of when my paternal grandparents (who had 7 children) would put 3 sheets of plywood on sawhorses so the family could sit together for meals at family gatherings. ~ That's a long sentence! ~ I remember 3 sheets of plywood, but it may have been two. Now that I'm older, it doesn't seem possible that 3 sheets of plywood would fit.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I hope your little grands remember how you and John made room for all to sit. Maybe they'll carry on this same tradition someday and tell their kids the memories they have of your table.
So glad that I am not hosting Easter dinner this year! But I know you will have a wonderful meal with all your family celebrating around the one table! My oval table here at home in Ohio wil (with two leaves)l seat ten squashed a bit as long as some are little people and two sit on the piano bench! But the table we have at the cottage could seat 20 with the inserts Paul made. It has three legs on each end and is very stable. But somehow the plywood leaves warped. If we needed them they could be remade, but we don't have that many people coming anymore. Not all at once. And that's ok. Life changes.Your Easter decorations are wonderful, so cheerful and feeling like spring and new life.
ReplyDeleteOur cat does the same thing with the palms!! Yesterday I was remarking to my husband that every year during Holy Week we are chasing the cat who is dragging her captured palms. It is a busy week here as my hubs is the Organist and Choir Director at church, but the cat and the palms have become part of the tradition. This morning they went up on the refrigerator. Since she is 15 1/2 years old, I pray she doesn't attempt a heist and break a leg. Have a wonderful dinner with your family and Happy Easter!
ReplyDeleteWell, I don't have a cat but our dear deceased Hunter watched TV like a person. There were even commercials that came on with dogs in them that he recognized the music to and would run up to and jump at the screen. Remember the commercial with the little lab puppy at summer camp advertising Advantix? OK...maybe not...but it had a very catchy tune and Hunter knew it well! I think your idea for the table is great and no doubt you will set a lovely table...Happy Easter to you and yours!
ReplyDeleteWe have no plans for Easter dinner. It's usually a last minute thing if our son and his wife are available on the Monday as we are so busy with Easter church music all weekend we don't have time to do the dinner thing. Such a pity too as it's a special time to have family for a meal. So, I don't have a problem with table space to say the least. I do have an antique drop leaf table in the living room that I've brought into action at Christmas before many years ago. I've heard this plywood topped table idea works perfectly though so I think you will have good luck with it and the boys will be happy. :) I love your gifted blue bunny and also your beautiful vase and Lorries artwork. I have one of hers too - crocuses. :) Have fun shopping, planning, decorating and cooking. It's something to look forward to with the family. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteI'm another one who thinks this is a very sweet post. I especially like the photo of your husband smiling at you. Once again we are in Edmonton with our son and his family. Holidays at our new house can wait until all is well with our son. So, we'll be eight at the table - us and the little family. Two will be in highchairs. I will cook the ham and the boys will help to decorate a cake. It is good that the children only understand the joy of EASTER. That is our job as grandparents!
ReplyDeleteOne does what one must to squeeze all the loved ones in. Our dining room is 12x14 and we usually have 14-20 people around the table for holiday dinners. It's tight, but it's doable and nobody ever complains. For the first time in 20+ years we wont be hosting Easter, we are heading to see my oldest daughter in PA. They grow up and move away, but they can't escape. haha.
ReplyDeleteNow that's improvising! I'm looking forward to seeing your Easter tablescape, Vee.
ReplyDeleteLove your blue bunny-that was sweet of your daughter.
No family this Easter here, but I hope to come up with something special for Tim!
My husband has been searching for a larger dining room table. We've been using the same round table for years and I'm a little attached to it especially since I painted the top. He's a little frustrated that I'm not happy with any of the tables he's researched online. We'll just make do with a second table set up for extra seating for Easter dinner.
ReplyDeleteI think that is a great idea what ever woks I say , all though if we lived closer Papa could make a harvest table for you in his wood shop about that size out of oak or pine . We always have a family Easter dinner at the in laws who live next door lol ! Lovely photos . Thanks for sharing , Have a good week and a Happy Easter .
ReplyDeleteJohn's smile is as touching as can be.
ReplyDeleteI love your new little ceramic blue Easter bunny with basket!
I did a board on top of a smaller 48 inch round table I used to have: my McGyver hubs build a 60 inch one that sat perfectly on top without wiggling. It was great for 6 versus the small one was perfect for 4.
I sold it a few years ago - the table not the top part - and to be honest I kinda miss it.
We have 15 coming for Easter. I host ALL the holidays, nearly every single one, and have been cooking holiday dinner since I was about 14. Seriously am ready to pass the baton any time someone else wants to do it, haha. Nah- we entertain so often my hubs and I have it down to a perfect science. And it beats travelling. : - )
God bless you and yours this Easter, Vee. Hugs.
ps - if you go back a few posts you will see the cross my husband weaves every Palm Sunday with our fresh palms. : - )
We too have improvised when there hasn't been enough seating and I must say your cookie tin supports are pretty innovative.
ReplyDeleteThe little bunny was a nice gift and will enhance the Easter decor.
I was given some sweet grass one time and my dog managed to get it somehow and chewed it to bits.
Happy Easter.
I love the series of three. I should do that to Bob! I have had my dining room table for about ten years. My mom. though, has sat at the same dining room table for over 60 years! Her dad built it for his family and mom got it when they got a larger table!
ReplyDeleteYour table sorting out is brilliant! It will be good for you to all sit together, we have had several family meals with extended bits of table, and it is always good fun. Love your little blue - he looks blue on my screen! - bunny, just too cute, what a lovely gift!!! xx
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness that picture of Fiore cracked me up!
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing you don't remember me from your comment Vee. It's been a very long time, but I'm glad you found me via bj.
xo,
rue
So many conversation starters in this post. Love the idea of Pinterest visiting - the girls in our family have certainly done that. John's face is so cute!
ReplyDeleteWhen my husband built our dining room table years and years ago, he created sliders so we can add 3 leaves to seat 14 people. But there have been times when even that is not enough and plywood comes into play. As someone else said, cover it with a cloth and no one will notice or care.
Easter dinner is being served here this year, too. We'll be 10 adults (Tim's sister and brother-in-law are coming from Calgary) plus 3 littles. So the family grows.
So far I've planned the ham and scalloped potatoes. I need to think about salads and sides. My daughter is bringing the dessert. Work certainly cuts into real life - HA!
We have a table that can seat about 14 with our benches, but this Easter we'll have 22 people here. So we will do a buffet and people will eat at the table and in the living room. We brought in an extra table for Thanksgiving but I think I will just let those in the living room hold their plates. We'll see. Nobody seems to mind either way, and it's times like these that I am happy to have the open floor plan. Everyone will eat together, just not at the table!
ReplyDeleteThat gift from your daughter is really cute. The color is great!
My girls and I send each other pins all the time! It's a lot of fun!
Deanna
The palms in the bouquets we've had are gnawed down to right angles on most of the fronds, but Little Bee does not drag them from the bouquets. We let her gnaw away. What matter? We are getting ready for a celebration! You have some lovely table embellishments! Have fun putting the good food around them and enjoy the family celebration! Out of the bright darkness ... he rises!
ReplyDeleteFiore looks so cute sitting in her own chair, watching TV! I miss ahving a cat very much. I want to wait till my youngest grandchildren are old enough to not pull a cat tail, so I'm waiting before adopting a new cat. John looks very happy, Vee--you must be treating him well. The blue bunny is very sweet --that was very thoughtful of your daughter to pick that out for you!
ReplyDeleteWe will have 8 adults and three children at my house for Easter dinner. My dining room table seats 6, so we add a card table to one end so we can fit more guests.
As appetizers we are having deviled eggs, a shrimp cocktail tray, boneless ribs, an antipasto tray and cheese and crackers, plus a n orange champagne punch. We take our time and talk and catch up and then have the littles do an egg hunt outside if the weather is nice or inside if not.
Then a couple hours later we will ahve ricotta spinach gnocchi (recipe on my blog--do a search) with a bologenese sauce, followed by spiral ham, roast turkey breast, asparagus, stuffed mushrooms, and a vegetable tian comprised of potatoes--white and sweet, zucchini, eggplant, onions, tomatoes and cheese--all thinly sliced and layered. It looks so pretty and is delicious.
For dessert I am making Italian Easter cookies and a New York Cheese cake with a gluten free ginger snap crust and fresh strawberry topping and usually one of the guests will also bring a dessert or chocolates.
It sounds like a lot of food, but my kids love to take home some leftovers, and I am also having friends for dinner the next day so we will eat leftovers then, too.
I love John's face when he spies you...totally sweet!
ReplyDeleteFiore like palm fronds? Pinky recently ate a piece of turquoise Easter grass. (Don't ask me how I know.) What's up with these kitties?
The bunny from your daughter is adorable! Great color!
We are serving our Resurrection Day dinner buffet style. There is a table in the kitchen and one in the dining room. We are expecting to have 13-15 people, so it will be enough. On Thanksgiving, it seems worth it to rearrange furniture so that everyone can eat in one room (more time is spent at the table on Thanksgiving)...but I am not inspired to go to such lengths for any other occasion.
I am sure your meal will be lovely! I hope that you take a few pictures to share! (Although if you're like me, you'll forget to photograph in the midst of your hostessing duties.)
Cats...what don't they get into? lol! Mine are always into something. One just finally got off my lap so now I can finish this comment! I think your table will turn out wonderful. Be sure and take some pics of the finished tablescape to show us!
ReplyDeleteOur daughter will be with her boyfriend at his parent's for Easter dinner. Our son is having dinner at his girlfriend's house with her parents, so BG and I will have a low key weekend. That's okay with me as I've done my share of fixing holiday meals. I'm all for going out to eat if anything will be open!
Sweet post, I love a peek into everyday life. Your vignette is adorable, love the blue bunny. Easter plans up in the air right now...I know only a few days away, family scattered, trying to figure out a get together day and time, may not be on Sunday though. Happy Easter Vee!
ReplyDeleteI always love to have peeks into your beautiful home. It just looks so cozy and welcoming. John.. what a sweet guy he is. The way he comes around the corner and spots you.. just made me smile.
ReplyDeleteYour sweet gifts displayed are so pretty and springlike. I love anything yellow.
The table issue is ongoing here too. We can make it fairly large but then it is always a bit of a challenge wondering where the five that are shorter than the rest of us are going to REALLY want to sit. Their favorite people seem to change from time to time and now the older ones are wanting to sit together instead of on either side of me. I'm good with that.
Looks like a good solution, We've done such antics before. With our new hand me up dining table from our kids I think we will fit without too much trouble, I'm just hoping I'll find a table cloth that fits.
ReplyDeletePinterest visiting! What a great concept!
ReplyDeleteLove the little blue bunny -- it has a real vintage look to it. I will have to check our Walmart.
We will have an early Easter service at church (not quite sunrise -- 7:30) and a nice Easter breakfast together, then Sunday School and morning service. Not sure yet about dinner, though I did buy a ham, which I will cook regardless.
Have a blessed Easter, Vee!
A peep's smile is always worth catching, and that palm is a lovely reminder gift.
ReplyDeleteLove your touches of Spring time and Easter. Your family will enjoy coming home and gathering at the bigger table. Many years ago my parents purchased a big sheet of plywood, had my brother in law saw it in half and then round the corners. Cutting the sheet in half made it easier to remove and store. Mom made a table protector and that additional topper was pulled up from the basement many times. Reading this made me wonder where those boards went....I just ran down to our crawl space.....I found them! Isn't that what kids do! LOL Easter blessings to you and your family.
I started leaving you a comment here hours ago...and got interrupted. Let me try again!
ReplyDeleteI thought maybe John was 'up to no good' with that mischievous grin! I love that you get 'real' palm branches at your Palm Sunday service. That is something the young folk will never forget.
As for your table dilemma...I have come to the conclusion that no table is ever big enough! Our table seats 14...but we have 17 coming for Easter dinner. I think you found the perfect solution for adding a few extra! My parents used to do the same thing.
I love your Walmart Easter bunny...and the daffodils by Lorrie...and your chickee vase. Nice reminders of spring and new life...while you wait for the real thing to arrive!
Today was my shopping day...and a little prep. The paska got baked this afternoon...but I had 'drop-ins' who needed some to take home, so now I'm thinking I better bake another batch. We are having our Easter dinner on Good Friday afternoon...so I better get with the program. Tomorrow I'm off to the local tulips with my daughter and her girlies.
Wishing you and yours a most blessed Easter!
Hi Vee!
ReplyDeleteMacGyver would be proud! I don't have enough room either - so I try really hard to just squeeze in who I can at the big table, it gets very interesting at times! I can remember going to my grandparents home for Easter dinner and always sitting at the card table at the end of the big table - it will go on for generations to come!
We are actually having turkey for dinner...I know, strange for Easter. We will also have our favorite sides, homemade rolls and strawberry shortcake for dessert.
I hope your snow melts so that your Daffodils will bloom - it's just not Spring without them!
Have a wonderful Easter!
Hugs,
Barb
Our 'plywood' disguise came as old doors (complete with holes where the knobs where) from the salvage, with legs added on them. Whatever works, right?
ReplyDeleteWe're hosting the Dinner here for 9... and it's Chicken Masala as the entree. Totally untraditional this year.
Wishing you a beautiful day.
Brenda
xox
Your title really caught my eye as I'm a MacGyver fan! Enjoyed the photos.
ReplyDeleteThese are my favorite kinds of blog posts...they just make me feel like I have been visited by an old friend, and we just chatted away about "stuph".
ReplyDeleteFunny how cats can find a flower/plant/palm frond :^) The princess Posie can smell them coming in the door :^( Her favorites are alstromeria. They are sooooo enticing she can barely stand it! She hates me because I put them on a 4' plant stand in the corner of a room where there is nothing to jump to/from. I really get the disgusted looks.....ooops....
Loved the picture of your kitty watching TV. Our best entertainment is our cat..much better than TV :^)
Blessings to you,
J